Racing fans have waited a long time for a real simulation racer to be released on the Xbox. While there have been some great racing games, nothing has come close to simulating the sport accurately. Sure there are plenty of racers on the Xbox, and some of them are excellent, but most of them are true arcade racers, with a few being a mix of arcade and slight simulation. Forza Motorsport has arrived, and if you are looking for a true simulation racer, here it is. For those who played the demo and walked away less than impressed, I can assure you before you continue to read more the demo was shoddy at best, but the final version is solid . . . allow me to take you through a test drive of the most advanced racing game ever to hit the Xbox. Grab your helmet and buckle up as I review Forza up close and personal.

Gameplay

Sitting down and playing Forza is a new challenge for fans of racing games. The amount of courses and styles of races are staggering. They managed to include street, track and climb events in this sim. They also have more vehicles than any racing game I have seen on the Xbox. Now while this is great, there are a few things you need to remember. The game is NOT an arcade racer or a mix. It’s a true simulator! You need to treat the car as if it were a real one on a real course. While this may seem obvious, even I had to get this in my mind before I really began to enjoy and appreciate the game. The other thing to remember is that while it is a simulation, they have added a few things to help you. Of course I am talking about the traction control, ABS and the other options that are on by default. Once you get the hang of breaking early enough and the right amount of use of the emergency brake and advance in the game, you can take a few of these helping options off. The cars are going to react in a brand new way.

While playing online, I have heard a few comments complaining about this. Hey, this is what fans wanted and waited for. The fact they were able to deliver it is the main thing and something Microsoft needs to be commended for. It’s no different than when you add a weight reduction or more torque to the engine, you just won’t see the changes as fast. I also like the fact that you have the option as to when to turn off these options, or just leave them on without penalty. One other thing I liked was the fact you can change the options you added, since it changes the cars’ ratings. At times you may have a car in your garage that would be eligible for a race, you may just need to adjust some of the modifications and add-on parts to meet the requirements of the race class.

If you are used to playing Project Gotham Racing 2, Rallisport Challenge 2, or Burnout 3 you’ll have no problem jumping into the game, but you will need to adjust your racing style. This is a sim, I cannot stress this enough, you’re not going to be drifting around the corners like you do in the other games with a stock car, so be ready to learn the controls, the timing, and be prepared to re-learn once you have made adjustments to the vehicle’s parts. There is definitely a place in my heart for Burnout, PGR, and RSC, but if you’re ready for cars and tracks that react as if they were in the real world, load up Forza.

Forza also features a customization feature that at first seems rather simplistic. However, after spending time with this option, you can create one of kind creations. While it may look hard and not worth the trouble, it just takes some time to learn how to use it the right way. For any racing fan it’s all about the amount of cars in a game and if they look real and respond realistically while driving them. I have to say I was amazed at the amount of cars which range from every day common cars to prototypes and even real racing cars that are extremely fast. The fact that each class of cars responds differently shows just how much time was taken to create the overall game. Forza has everything a racing fan could want. Again, I must say they also made it so even those new to a real simulation could start and play with ease, but you’ll need to disable some of the default optional ‘helpers’ to get a real sense of the simulation the game delivers.

Control / Playability

Forza also has an easy way of customizing the controls to each person’s tastes. The controls are responsive and set-up very well. The real trick is learning the right time to hit the brakes and when to lay off the gas, as I eluded to above. There is a learning curve and the time to learn will depend on each gamer’s experience at racing games. I would say the average player could get the hang of the basic controls in less than an hour. Of course, there are advanced controls that you will continually learn a new ways of using. That is another part of this game that shines and adds to the overall experience of the game.

Xbox Live

Online Forza is great to play and the host never needs to leave a room to change the restrictions or tracks. The lobby is well made and shows each player’s connection and stats at push of a button. You can get invites and join a friend really easy. The game supports up to eight racers and there was never any lag even when racing the supped up racing classes. The lobby is one of the best I have seen and you can even set up a buy, sell and trade lobby. There have not been any issues with disconnects that I am aware of. When it comes to online play and online ranking there is something to be said about Forza that I just cannot let go without mention. Currently there is a glitch online that will allow racers to receive credit for a large number of laps, thus ranking up and receiving money very quickly. While I’m sure this will be fixed with a required update very soon, it does bring into question the ELO ranking system they decided to use. As many of us know, the ELO ranking system did not work in the Rainbow Six series, and it looks like its not going to work in Forza either. That said, the game is still a blast to play online and there is little to no lag during game play.

Graphics / Presentation

Graphically Forza stands out in every way. If you have your view set to race outside of the car, you will see the sun reflect off the paint. If you are using the bumper cam and are inside, you will see a different view and see fuller details. Each view offers something new and the effects are great. The damage of the car is well done and not only affects the look but the performance of the car you’re driving as well. This was frustrating at first, but once I learned to stay away from the rails I really began to appreciate the damage model. Every car can be painted and customized. I have seen cars that must have taken a very long time to finish. The time spent is not wasted since some of the work raises the rarity of the cars value if you ever decide to sell it, online or offline. The night races and all the tracks are great looking and offer something new to see in the game. Overall the graphics really surprised me with the amount of detail added into the game.

Forza Motorsport Xbox Screenshot Forza Motorsport Xbox Screenshot Forza Motorsport Xbox Screenshot

Forza Motorsport Xbox Screenshot

View all Forza Motorsport Screenshots in the XBS Gallery

Audio

The music in the game is great although there are no lyrics to go with the included tracks. It ranges from hard rock to pop music tracks, and they did include a decent selection of tunes, but I personally think it would have been better with the vocals turned on. On that same not however, you can turn on your own tracks and use your custom soundtracks in the game. I love this option and it really added to the fun factor as I can get ‘in the zone’ while my own tunes are jamming. Every sound is realistic from cars passing you to the sound of a turbine kicking in. They took the time to make each sound as realistic as possible, and you can definitely tell the difference between a stock car, and a car built for racing.

Replay Value

Forza offers so many different cars and events the amount really is amazing. It offers plenty of replay value just in this area alone. Throw in the online mode and the chance to buy and trade cars and the value is almost unlimited. It all depends how much time you want to spend playing the game. It offers replay in every aspect and no other racing game found on the Xbox has ever come close to offering as much as this title has.

Overall Score

Overall Score: 9.4/10 [not an average]

Additional Comments

Forza is a real experience and not some catchy tag line or marketing gimmick. However, it is no cakewalk and will frustrate even the most advanced racer at first. If you take the time to learn the finer points, the game certainly has lived up to the hype and explained the wait and delays of it’s release. This is what true racing fans have waited for and at last received for the Xbox system. While it has a few quirks, no game is perfect but Forza sure looks sweet and will provide racing fans their fix for speed and realistic controls. Any racing fan would find this to be one to add to their collection!

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